Introduction to the Great Art, Vol I

Volume I of 'An Introduction to the Great Art', penned by Bel'qualyn Do'neld for zhaunin of Sorcere in great Udos Dro'xun.

To a layman, practicioners of the Great Art appear as gods, wielding powers the layman can only dream of. And such is not far from the truth, for the gods themselves are creatures of power to whom use of the Arts comes as naturally as breath to mortals. The Great Art is the manipulation of the power known as the Weave to create effects of utility and of beauty; mortal students oft split the Great Art into the eight Lesser Arts, that we might narrow our studies and thus be shielded from the true enormity of that which we touch.

Central to the understanding of the Great Art is the understanding of the planes, dimensions or realities which lie alongside and about our own, and thus we will begin our introduction here. Traditional views of the Planes divide them into four categories; Inner, Outer, Transitive and Material. Understanding the relationship between the Planes is impossible to any unable to take their mind beyond the physical limitations of the world one sees and touches; concepts such as "above", "below" and "inside" have deeper meanings in planar theory. Suffice to say that there are two common representations of the relationships between the planes, and both co-exist at once.

The first places the planes as surfaces of a ball. The Inner Planes lie at the center, with the first of the Transitive Planes, the Ethereal Plane, bridging them to the Material Planes. The Material Planes are in turn separated from the Outer Planes by the second of the Transitive Planes, the Astral Plane.

The second places the planes comprising each layer in a spatial relationship to each other. The fulcrum of the diagram becomes the Material Planes, of which our own, the Prime Material, is that with which we are chiefly concerned. About the Prime Material are the Inner Planes, comprising the four Elemental Planes - with fire and water, and earth and air, on opposite sides of the Prime. Above and below are the Positive and Negative planes. The space in which these planes hover is the Astral Plane, and the outer orbit of the diagram contains the numerous Outer Planes, such as the Abyss. The Shadow and Ethereal planes sit alongside the Prime Material, separated along a fourth dimension no physical model can truly illustrate.

Both representations are substantially accurate, yet neither is complete. Such representations, however, assist the student.

Introduction to the Great Art, Vol II

Volume II of 'An Introduction to the Great Art', penned by Bel'qualyn Do'neld for zhaunin of Sorcere in great Udos Dro'xun.

With an understanding of the Planes, however limited, the student can begin to comprehend the nature of the Art. The Planes have different natures and many connections, manifesting as lines of Power throughout the multiverse. The Art is the manipulation of Power through incantation or will, allowing the practitioner to manipulate the Planes themselves. The lesser Arts, facets of the Great Art, specialise in different aspects of this manipulation.

The Art of Conjuration is the Art of forging a connection between one or more of the other Planes and the Prime Material, and using this connection to draw something of the other Plane back to the Material - a creature, object, or substance. An example is the drawing of a demonic imp from the Abyss to the Prime Material.

The Art of Evocation is the Art of touching another plane and releasing the energies of that plane into this one. The connection is made and broken through the incantation, and it is only power that passes between. An example is the touching of the Elemental Plane of Fire to create a fireball.

The Art of Necromancy is the study of the Negative Plane. Closely related to both the Arts of Evocation and Conjuration, a necromancer focuses solely on the Negative Plane, practicing conjuration and evocation in the specific context of the single Plane. Necromancy is an Art in and of itself both because of the unique effects of the Negative plane on living creatures of the Prime Material, and due to the sheer body of research that has been done in this area. The essence of the Negative Plane is decay, and thus this is also the essence of the Necromantic Art.

The Art of Transmutation is the Art of manipulating objects or beings in the Prime Material, and substituting parts of their elemental makeup. For instance, the spell Petrify involves replacing the Water in the target with Earth.

The Art of Enchantment is the Art of manipulating objects or beings in the Prime Material, and altering the pattern of their elemental makeup. To demonstrate the concept, one could take three pebbles and line them in a row. An enchantment might change the order of the row; there is no change to the materials comprising the row, but it is no longer the same row.

Enchantments, however, fade with time as the natural order of the object reasserts itself. This natural order is best envisioned as the imprint an object makes in the Weave of Power. The Art of Divination is the Art of reading these patterns and understanding their relationships; thus a diviner might, from the hair of another, be able to see their face.

The Art of Illusion is closely tied to the Plane of Shadow. The Shadow Plane is a pale imitation of our own, the imprint of its objects in the Weave weaker and thus more easily manipulated. A practitioner of the Art can ward themselves in Shadow for defense, or bring creations of shadow into this realm and shape them to his will.

Finally, the Art of Abjuration is the Art of wards, of constructs of power that form connections to other Planes and take energies unleashed in this Plane and channel them elsewhere. Just as a shield deflects a blow to one side, so a ward deflects energy from the Prime Material to another Plane.

Introduction to the Great Art, Vol III

Volume III of 'An Introduction to the Great Art', penned by Bel'qualyn Do'neld for zhaunin of Sorcere in great Udos Dro'xun.

Students of Sorcere must learn how to best employ their Art in combat, both when alone and when with others.

When alone, the student is often best advised to create fodder that can distract enemies and perhaps, if warded appropriately, even remove said enemies from your concern. Defensive wards are usually appropriate, while a strong array of aggressive incantations will ensure your ability to deal with whatever is thrown at you. It is advisable to select your incantations carefully to obtain synergy between them. One specialising in evocation will find some foes practiced at avoiding the energy they draw with Power, and thus may be best served by a few Enchantments or Necromantic effects to deal with such opponents. Similarly, a Conjurer who can call any manner of creature to his aid is wise to spend some time in study of the Art of Transmutation to make his servants more fearsome.

On patrol, the role of the student of Sorcere differs somewhat. In a well planned and executed patrol the student will assist in warding the warriors of the patrol but will then rarely if ever play an active part, beyond light ranged or melee support. However, should the patrol come into difficulties, the student will be prepared with powerful offensive incantations which will be used sparingly but decisively to turn the battle. The balance in this case should strongly lie towards support incantations, such as transmutations and abjurations, with a smaller number of carefully selected offensive incantations. The key attribute for a student on patrol is patience; while perhaps not active in every encounter, it is likely that decisive intervention will be necessary on occasion and the student's duty is to ensure that they remain prepared for such an eventuality.

For all their differences, it is often possible to obtain similar effects from the use of different Arts. They are, after all, simply facets of the Great Art. As the student grows in experience, many examples will become clear. The student should especially be alert for such cases, and learn how to use such combinations to be sure of being able to achieve the desired effect regardless of the opponent.